If you used two air bags shaped like this mounted on a person's
shoulders and it was 24 feet in diameter the frontal area would
be 452 square feet. Given a drag factor of approximately one
and a person weight of 250 pounds the free fall speed would
be drag = V^2 x 452 x .0026 = 250 = man's weight.
V^2 = 250/ (452 x .0026) 'MPH
V= (250/(452 x .0026)^.5
V is roughly 15 MPH.
You don't need a parachute. The person will land upright as his
CG is below the center of the sphere.
AND it will be a HIGHLY cushioned impact.
Probably 24 feet diameter is over kill. Inflation is near instantaneous with
two explosive charges.
I think NASA are already using these to cushion the impact of rovers
on the moon.
--
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
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